Westminster Abbey's architectural treasures – in pictures

Westminster Abbey's architectural treasures – in pictures

From its towering Norman masonry to the secluded magnificence of its cloisters, Westminster Abbey is not only the historic scene of royal weddings and final resting place of kings and poets, it is also an architectural masterpiece. David Levene's extraordinary shots capture the essence of the abbey's splendour

The western facade of Westminster Abbey. The Gothic splendour of the abbey, one of London's most distinctive landmarks, has provided the backdrop to numerous landmark events in English history, not least every royal coronation since 1066Photograph: David Levene for the Guardian

Beneath the abbey's pointed arches and stained glass windows, an extraordinary array of cultural treasures jockey for space with the daily hordes of tourists. Visitor numbers
reached record levels following the royal wedding in April 2011Photograph: David Levene for the Guardian

The 13th-century Chapter House was described by the medieval historian Matthew Paris as 'incomparable'. Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, the architect behind the last major work carried out there, in the 1870s, called it 'a structure perfect in itself'Photograph: David Levene for the Guardian

The worn but fascinating medieval wall paintings are among the highlights of the Chapter House. The angels depicted in the heads of the arches remain largely visiblePhotograph: David Levene for the Guardian

The Chapter House boasts what is widely regarded as the most extraordinary tiled medieval floor in Britain. It was hidden beneath timber until Sir Giles Gilbert Scott's late 19th-century renovations once more brought it to lightPhotograph: David Levene for the Guardian

Each of Westminster Abbey's four cloisters is about 100ft long. Constructed largely between the 13th and 15th centuries, they were rebuilt after the great fire of 1298Photograph: David Levene for the Guardian

The Houses of Parliament seen from Westminster Abbey's triforium, or upper gallery. The vertiginous space, currently only accessible through a small door just below the bust of Ben Jonson in Poet's Corner, offers remarkable views of the abbey's interiorPhotograph: David Levene for the Guardian